DTI urges wholesale prices set along with SRP

The Department of Trade and Industry on Monday pushed for the implementation of a wholesale or trader’s price, aside from the suggested retail price or SRP.

Secretary Ramon Lopez made the announcement to reporters during an inspection at the Mega Q Mart in Quezon City.

Lopez, along with Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, conducted the inspection to check vendors' compliance with the SRP on select agricultural products.

The secretaries of thr Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, and Interior and Local Government walked to the Mega Q Mart in QC this morning to check on compliance with SRP on agri products. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/RBFkao3hoJ

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) February 24, 2020

The secretaries discovered that chicken was sold at P160/kilo, higher than the P130/kilo SRP.

“Hoping 'yung traders doon sa chicken ay makipagtulungan na rin at huwag sobrang kabig. At dapat i-observe nila ang suggested retail prices,” Dar said.

“Para makasunod 'yung retailer sa SRP, kailangan 'yung benta rin ng trader doon sa palengke na 'yon, nako-control naman ng market master,” Lopez said.

“Pati yung wholesale price o yung trader’s price papasok sa retailer sa palengke ay mai-set na rin para ho hindi na nagtuturuan,” he added.

DTI Sec Ramon Lopez: Aside from SRP, pati yung wholesale price o yung trader’s price papasok sa retailer sa palengke ay mai-set na rin para hindi na nagtuturuan. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Wdfbs8oNet

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) February 24, 2020

DA and DTI allow a P50-  to 60-per-kilo mark-up from the farmgate price for commodities covered by the SRP.

Included in this mark-up is the P10 to 20 per kilo markup of retailers.

Dar also noted that some retailers did not have price tags.

“Nakita ho natin may mga violation. So yun ho kaagad, bibigyan ng mga Letter of Inquiry para maimbestigahan yung kanilang mga suppliers at pagkatapos ho nun, within 48 hours kailangan maganda ang explanation nila. Kung may hindi pa rin ho susunod, saka natin fa-file-an ng charges,” Lopez said.

Consumers may also report violators to the Philippine National Police and to local government units.

“We are here, all of us together, to ensure the interest of our consumers. Actually, hindi lang consumers kundi pati mga traders. And farmers,” Año added. — BM, GMA News